Clothesline holder



July 6,1948. Y A, L MERONK y 2,444,841

CLOTHESLINE HOLDER Filed June 25, 1945 I nventar Attorneys Patented July6, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicEl CLoTHEsLINE HOLDER Anthony J.Meronk, Jeerson, Wis. Application June 25, 1945, Serial No. 601,505

and has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensive devicewhereby a clothes line may be gradually tightened a-s laundry is placedon the line, which due to gradually increasing weight the line is saggeddown.

Another object of the invent-ion is to provide a clothes line holderhaving jaws so arranged as to permit free passage of a line n onedirection only and immediately clamping the same upon a reversal ofmovement whereby the line is held taut.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a line holderincluding a casing and means whereby the line may be easily and quicklyplaced in the casing.

Other features and advantages will become more readily apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying illustrative drawings inwhich:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of my invention shown in operativeposition,

Figure 2 is a similar View showing the elements of the devicedisassembled,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view substantially on line 3--3 ofFigure l.

In the accompanying drawings a-s above enumerated and in the folowingspecication, like characters of reference indicate like parts throughoutand in which II) indicates my clothes line holder and tightener whichincludes a housing I I, having an extension I2, with an aperture I3, inits reduced terminal I4, for engagement with the sustaining hook I5 of aclothesline or the like. The housing is provided with a rear wall I6along opposite side edges of which extend spaced parallel wall-s, I'Iand I8, formed at their side edges with flanges I9 an-d 20, which taperfrom one end to the other to form a convergent passage through which theclothesline or the like may be entered into the device.

Telescopically fitted in the housing I I between the walls I6 and theanges I8 and I9, is a slide 26, having a rear wall 2l, side walls 28 and29 and a forward extension 3| terminating in a perpendicular flange 30.The extension 3| is provided in opposite side edges with inwardlyextending recesses 32 and 33. Extending inwardly midway between thebottom edges of the recesses 32 and 33 are slots 38 and 39 the purposeof which will be more fully hereinafter described.

Secured in the wall I6 and the flanges I9 and 20 are spaced paralleltransversely extending pintles 39 and 40 respectively. These pintles ex-1 Claim. (Cl. Zug-119.15)

tend through the recesses 32 and 33, respectively to permit relativetelescopic movement between the housing II an-d the slide 26. Pivotallysupported on said pintles are opposed clamp jaws 4I and 42 carryingserrated cam faces 43 and 44, between which a clothes line 45,is adaptedto be clamped. Formed in the edge ofthe ange 30 opposite that joiningthe extension 3| is a V-shaped notch 46, which not only forms a guidefor the rope, but because of its wedge shape tends to grip the rope sothat any pull thereon tends to move the slide partially outward ofcasing II.

The jaws 4I and 42 respectively are provided with laterally projectingpins 48 and 41, which extend into the slots 38 and 39 respectively sothat as the slide 26 moves outwardly of the housing II the jaws will bedrawn together to grip the clothesline or the like 45. By reason of thefrictional contact of the walls of the notch 46 on the ange 30, any sagof the clothesline will exert pull on the iiange and tends to displacethe slide longitudinally of the casing II so as to bring the walls ofthe grooves into engagement with the pins 39 and 40 so as to exert afurther clamping action on the jaws 4I and 42 on the clothesline 45.

In use, the rope 45 is seated in the device by slipping it into thespace 5I, between the convergent edges of the flanges I9 and 20, andbetween the jaws 4I and 42. By grasping the end 56 of the clotheslineand exerting pull thereon while using the hook I5 as a guide, the linemay be pulled to a desired tension for hanging laundry thereon. As therope sags under the weight imposed thereon it may again be tightened. Inthis manner the clothesline may be maintained under the desired tensionto sustain the clothing hung thereon clear of the ground.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the inventionrelates will be yable to obtain a clear understanding of the inventionafter considering the description in connection with the drawings.Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details and parts suchas come within the purview of the invention claimed may be resorted to,in actual practice, if desired.

Having now described my invention that which I claim as new and desireto procure by Letters Patent is:

A clothesline support and tightener comprising a tubular housing ofrectangular cross secjaws with the slide to cause the clamp jaws to`advance toward one another as the slide moves away from the extension, aflange on the end of the slide remote from the extension `and rsaidIlange having a V-shaped notch therein which registers with thelongitudinal slot in the housing for receiving a clothesline whereby, asthe load imposed on the clothesline increases, the slide will move andincrease the pressure of the clamp jaws on the clothesline.

ANTHONY J. MERONK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 343,814 Hedden June 15, 1886690,438 Jones Jan. 7, 1902 975,247 Johnson et al Nov. 8, 1910 1,250,876Hicks Dec. 18, 1917 1,271,294 Duigan July 2, 1918 '1,813,918 Fisher July14, 1931 `1,913,032 Krause June 6, 1933 1,959,722 Lackner May 22, 1934

